The Past
Block 15 Brewing - Southtown Tap Room

Look: Ruby-red/amber in color on the pour, which launches a frothy beige head to rapidly form, hold, and slowly settle to a pillow, leaving webs of lacing clung to the glass
Aroma: Red apple skins, freshly baked bread, lightly toasted crust, light caramel, melanoidin, and a little earthiness
Taste: Kicks off with a lovely combo of bread and crust that has been drizzled with caramel and this combo quickly develops synergy and depth. Earthy notes cut into the malt parade slightly in the middle and apple skins pop up from time to time before it closes with more bread, caramel, and earthiness
Mouthfeel: Full, smooth, soft, clean, medium-high carbonation, and smooth on the finish with a touch of earthy dryness
Overall: This is tasty stuff. As a B15 fan since they opened their doors while I was living in Corvallis and a longtime patron of beer and brewing supplies from Joel @ Corvallis Brew Supply, I really wanted to try this and it’s awesome. Such an underrated style IMO, especially these days and glad they chose it for their ‘Past’ Anniversary brew as it epitomizes everything an amber ale should be – malty, smooth, earthy, caramel, and well-balanced all in an easy-drinking and well-made package. Delicious and recommended

Poured into a Seattle Beer Week pint glass. Pours a medium coppery amber with a three finger ivory head with good retention and lacing. Aroma of lightly toasted biscuit malt, graham crackers, mild citrus and grassy hops and a little lemon. Flavor is lightly grainy biscuit malt, graham crackers, hints of caramel, husky grain, hints of nuts and grassy and lightly citrus and floral hops; moderate bitterness in the finish. Medium bodied with light to moderate creaminess. I was intrigued by The Present IPA in this series and so picked up both this amber and the Japanese rice lager, neither of which styles I buy very often, but wanted to catch up on a well made one, which I knew Block 15 would brew. This lives up to its name; the malty body is reminiscent of English bitters and the amber ales of the early craft days, which seem to have been inspired by English ales. This one is updated a bit and has some qualities (and color) of a good red ale, but maltier and a touch of more modern hops. Classic noble hops, but with a little floral note. Nice to return to the past sometimes.

16-ounce can purchased at ABV Public House in Hillsboro, OR. Date stamp reads "04/14/23". Poured in a nonic half-pint.

Look:
The beer is a bright and perfectly clear red-amber, capped with fluffy beige foam. The head has very good retention and leaves craggy islands of foam on the glass.

Smell:
Yep, this is a NW amber ale. Starts off with dry, crisp malt and orange/pine hop flavors. Fruity esters broker a peace between the two, softening the crispness of the malt while playing nicely with the citrusy hop character.

Taste:
The flavor is an appealing, bittersweet combination of toasty malt, orange peel, and dried fruit. The flavors pivot through the middle, with the ale fruitiness dropping out to let a satisfying mix of roasted almonds, hazelnuts, and crackery malt push to the front. The lengthy finish is semi-sweet with deep resiny bitterness.

Feel:
Light-bodied with brisk carbonation. Drying and moreish.

Overall:
This beer is a time machine to an era when craft beer was called "microbrew" and it seemed like every brewpub offered a blonde, a pale, an IPA, and an amber. Block 15 The Past is a well-made NW-style hop-forward amber ale with deliciousness that goes beyond mere nostalgia.

Side note: This beer got along real nice with the pulled pork al pastor tacos and pineapple salsa I made for dinner.